The OHIO YAB and ACTION Ohio have been exploring tuition waivers in other states.

Here is a chart of the 29 states that provide tuition waivers for foster youth.

It’s interesting to note that, in Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Virginia, publicly funded higher education institutions are simply prohibited from charging tuition for this population. Ohio is exploring the possibility of doing likewise.

This is especially important to consider in 2025, due to proposed changes to the Pell Grant program that are currently being discussed on the federal level:

• Requiring 15 credit hours to be considered full-time, rather than 12
• Making students who take less than 7.5 credit hours ineligible for the Pell Grant
• Reducing the maximum amount of the Pell Grant from $7,395 to $5,710

Below are two charts that map out what that would look like: